livelihood. They are too weakly to do the work required by an
agricultural life, even by the aid of the numerous labor-saving
inventions of the age.

What is it that is undermining the health of the race and sapping the
constitutions of our American men? No doubt much may be attributed to
the unnatural refinements of civilization in several directions; but
there can be no doubt that vice is the most active cause of all. Secret
sin and its kindred vices yearly ruin more constitutions than hard work,
severe study, hunger, cold, privation, and disease combined.

Boys, the destiny of the race is in your hands. You can do more than
all the doctors, all the scientists and most eminent political men in
the world, to secure the prosperity and future greatness of the nation,
by taking care of yourselves, by being pure, noble, true to yourselves
and to the demands of high moral principle.

Cases Illustrating the Effects of Self-Abuse.--The land is full of poor
human wrecks who have dashed in pieces their hopes for this world, and
too often for the next also, against this hideous rock which lies hidden
in the pathway of every young man who starts out upon life's stormy
voyage. Gladly would we draw the veil and cover them with all their
dreadful deformities with the mantle of charity from the gaze of their
fellow-beings; but their number is so great that this could scarcely
be done, and the lesson to be learned from their sad fate is such a
grave one, and so needful for the good of the generation of young men
who are just encountering the same dangers, that we cannot resist the
promptings of duty to present a few examples of the effects of vice
in men and boys that have fallen under our own observation. We have
seen hundreds of cases of this sort; have treated many scores of persons
for the effects of the terrible crime which we are seeking to sound
a warning against, and the number of cases we might describe would fill
a volume; but we will select only a very few.

Two Young Wrecks.--Charles and Oscar B---- were the sons of a farmer
in a Western State, aged respectively ten and twelve years. They
possessed well-formed heads, and once had beautiful faces, and were
as bright and sprightly as any little boys of their age to be found
anywhere. Their father was proud of them, and their fond mother took
great pleasure in building bright prospects for her darling sons when
they should attain maturity and become competent to fill usef